CONTACT:
For more information about the project, please contact
NEHI President and CEO Susan Dentzer (sdentzer@nehi.net) or
Executive Director Valerie Fleishman (vfleishman@nehi.net).

NEHI, the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation, will hold a convening of its members and other invited stakeholders to frame a vision of "health care without walls." Such a system would draw on current and future technologies; new modes of care delivery and payment models; and an augmented health care work force, among other innovations, to bring health and health care closer to individuals and address as many of their needs as possible in the home, community, or workplace.

As the U.S. health care system shifts towards value-based care and payment, and technology enables everything from telehealth to collection of biometric data from smart phones, pushing health care out of institutions and closer to consumers and patients has become a priority for many health system stakeholders. Providers and payers recognize that new modalities of care delivery may not only address consumers’ desire for convenience, but could also lead to greater access at reasonable costs. "Health care without walls" could hold out particular benefit for the frail elderly and other vulnerable populations; for underserved areas of the country; and for advancing population health strategies aimed at addressing not just health care needs, but social determinants and other upstream drivers of health.

There are already many forces and "enablers" pushing toward "health care without walls," but also many obstacles. Put simply, if it were up to technology alone, "health care without walls" would be a reality today for much of health care; the fact that it is not underscores that barriers exist. Over the course of 2017-2018, NEHI will organize a series of "work streams" to advance a research and thought leadership agenda and to identify opportunities to overcome the obstacles.

Likely work streams will focus on the following issues:

Current and future trends in technology and the impact on health, health care, access, and patient outcomes;

Federal and state regulations as enablers of, or obstacles to, the transformation;

Human factors, such as environmental, organizational, or job-related factors, and human and individual characteristics that influence behavior

The health care work force, and what the shift to "health care without walls" may mean for components and sub-components of that work force.

NEHI Members and others are invited to attend this convening, hear from a select group of presenters, participate in small group discussions, and help refine the plan for the work streams that will carry out the project. Please sign up to participate at www.healthcarewithoutwalls.net

AGENDA:

Opening Remarks and Introductions

Susan Dentzer, President and CEO, NEHI

9:00-9:15 AM

Health Care Without Walls: A Window on the Disruptive Future - A "Provocation" Scenario